Bring out the rich, ripe taste

To find out whether an avocado is ripe, press gently on the bottom with your thumb. If it’s slightly soft, it’s ripe and ready to eat. To ripen an avocado in a day or two, simply place the fruit in a paper bag.

Open it up and enjoy

Open the avocado by cutting lengthwise around the pit and then gently twisting to separate the halves. Hold the half with the pit in one hand and carefully and quickly embed the blade of a sharp knife into the pit. Then, with a twisting motion, loosen the pit and remove. Scoop out the avocado flesh with a spoon. For maximum enjoyment, prepare avocados as close to serving time as possible.

Savor the flavor for another day

To store an avocado half, leave the pit in the half, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator to keep it fresh and green. To store guacamole, place the pit in the dip and cover with plastic wrap. Make sure the wrap rests directly on the surface of the dip.

Enjoy Avocados from Mexico with
these enticing, easy-to-follow recipes:

Avocado Guacamole Dip

Ingredients

1 small chili pepper
1 medium onion
1 small garlic clove
1 small tomato, peeled
2 medium ripe avocados
1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 dash seasoned salt
1 dash dry mustard

Preparation

Pepper to taste. Chop chili pepper, onion, garlic, peeled tomato and blend. Cut avocado into halves, remove seed and skin, mash with chili mixture. Blend in lemon or lime juice, salt, pepper, seasoned salt and dry mustard. Serve with crackers, corn chips, potato chips or tortillas. Makes 1 1/2 cups dip.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Avocado and Tuna Salad

Ingredients

2 large hard-boiled eggs
2 teaspoons Louisiana hot sauce
1 cup avocado, mashed
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 6.5 oz can tuna (in water)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons dill relish
Fresh lemon juice
Salt, to taste

Preparation

Peel eggs and mash real well with a regular dinner fork (more or less mince them). Peel avocado and squeeze 1/2 lemon on it to keep from discoloring. Then mash real well with fork. Mix these two ingredients real well. Drain water from tuna and mix with onions, eggs, avocado, dill pickles or relish, salt, Louisiana hot sauce, and mayonnaise. Serve over lettuce.

Yield: 4 servings

Avocado Pocket Sandwiches

Ingredients

1 avocado, halved and peeled
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped cauliflower
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup cubed Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup bottled Italian dressing
4 pita breads
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped tomato

Preparation

Dice half the avocado. Reserve the other half. Gently toss diced avocado, cucumber, carrot, cauliflower, mushrooms, and cheese with Italian dressing. Slit pita breads and separate halfway around by pulling edges apart to form a pocket. Fill each with 1/4 of the mixture. Mash remaining avocado with fork and stir in lemon juice and tomato. Spoon inside each sandwich.

Yield: 4 pocket sandwiches

Avocado and Ginger Vichyssoise

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 ounce fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 large avocado, peeled and mashed
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup light cream
1 scallion, finely chopped

Preparation

Melt the butter in a sauté pan. Cook the onions and grated ginger for about 2 minutes. Add the mashed avocado and chicken stock. Mix all ingredients thoroughly, using a wire whisk to eliminate lumps. Simmer slowly for about 10-15 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and cream. Stir and chill for at least an hour. Chill bowls before serving. Garnish each bowl with scallions.

Yield: 6 servings

Orange-Avocado Chicken

Ingredients

6 chicken breast halves, skinned
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 cup orange juice, divided
1/2 cup chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon dried whole tarragon, crushed
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 oranges, peeled and sliced crosswise
1 avocado, peeled and sliced

Preparation

Brown chicken in butter; add orange rind, 1/2 cup orange juice, onion, and seasonings. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 50 minutes or until tender. Remove to serving dish; keep warm. Combine remaining 1/2 cup juice and cornstarch, stirring until smooth; add to pan drippings. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Arrange orange and avocado slices around chicken; pour orange sauce over top before serving.

Yield: 6 servings